Sweeney: Brookline's Zach Herivaux will get more shots to perform for Revs

FOXBOROUGH — While Zach Herivaux was glad to get on the pitch Saturday night, he didn’t want to talk about the way he was under-utilized during the Jay Heaps Era.

“(2018) is a different situation,” he said after New England’s 3-2 win over the defending MLS Cup champions, Toronto FC. “We were in a tough situation all season (in ’17). We weren’t performing, so it was difficult to take risks. I’m not going to talk about that subject; I’m just moving on to here.”

Before Saturday, Herivaux hadn’t seen significant minutes in a Major League Soccer match for the last 21 months dating back to August 2016: for many matches since, the Brookline native hadn’t even made the matchday squad, even though he was the club’s third Homegrown signing from the Academy.

It makes one wonder why the club would bother making him a Homegrown if they did not feel he was ready to make significant contributions outside of the occasional U.S. Open Cup run-out. The point of the Academy is to produce players who can help your first team: look at the Red Bulls and what they’re doing with their youth development program. Both Diego Fagundez and Scott Caldwell, the first two Homegrown signings for the Revolution, were thrust right into the thick of things, and the pair contributed in both minutes and offensive productivity.

Of course, we may have the answer: we’ve mentioned that in his five past appearances, his last being a couple of minutes in the ’16 season finale against Montreal, Herivaux had just looked nervous.

That’s completely understandable: he’s a young kid playing in front of the home supporters, a half an hour drive from his house. He had been in the Academy system since 2011; the club has a lot invested in him. He doesn’t want to mess up. All of those thoughts can make a young player tentative.

If Heaps thought playing Herivaux was a risk, so be it. What’s done is done. But no, you can’t say London Woodberry or "Bad Pass" Daigo Kobayashi were better selections than him; they just weren't. And with the way the team couldn’t get out of its own way at times last year … what would have been the harm in giving the kid experience?

Let’s just say that with his play Saturday, it appears the nerves are gone, replaced by confidence.

With The Boys In Blue holding a 3-1 lead in the 66^th minute, Revs manager Brad Friedel looked Herivaux’s way. He promptly took Kelyn Rowe’s spot, and Friedel moved Fagundez out to the left wing — which further illustrated Friedel’s confidence in Herivaux. And remember back to the post-match news conference following the Dallas loss: Friedel said if he wanted to replace Fagundez as the No. 10, he would have brought on Herivaux.

Almost right away, Herivaux got to work as he stayed with Toronto on a Michael Bradley service deep into the Banner End box, and he kept it away from the TFC attacker with his body — the Reds would shout for a handle, but referee Mark Geiger wasn’t having it — to set up another corner, which didn’t produce fruit.

Four minutes later, Herivaux started an attack: from near the midway line, he found Cristian Penilla out to the right with a nifty pass, and Penilla would try to feed Teal Bunbury for would could have been the Revs’ fourth goal.

And don’t forget he drew a hard foul out in front of the lighthouse.

Twenty-three-plus minutes of action, and three great pieces of work. That’s how a sub earns his paycheck.

“He was excellent when he came on, and it wasn’t easy,” Friedel said. “The pace of the game was really high. Toronto put on Giovinco, Vasquez; they put on Mavinga, fresh legs. The tempo of their play rose, and Zach coped very, very well.”

Friedel had also noted in his post-match news conference he had almost given Herivaux the starting nod Saturday, as well as other matches so far this season.

And with Fagundez set to miss this Saturday’s match against Columbus with a yellow card suspension, it shouldn’t shock anyone if Herivaux finds himself in the XI — for his first MLS start.

“(Friedel’s) always told me to work hard in training, and that’s what I’ve been doing,” Herivaux said. “I put my head down and just work. I waited for my opportunity, and I knew it was going to come this season. It came, and when I got the opportunity, I just wanted work hard and help the team out.

“I was able to do that tonight. I’m happy with the three points.”

Herivaux noted he had received a phone call from Friedel prior to the preseason: “He said, ‘The guys who work hard in training will get a chance. It doesn’t matter what your name is, doesn’t matter how much (money) you make; if you work hard in training, you’ll get an opportunity. I knew I was going to be able to do that this year. I’m glad he’s given me the opportunity.”

If the performances like Saturday continue — and if he can score some goals to go along with his work rate — Revolution supporters will be glad Friedel gave the kid an opportunity, too.